ok so who DOESNT use treats for training? (jm)

Although she is sweet, Heidi is not a lovey dog...unless I wake her up then I can sneak in some snuggling.  Treats or her balls (not the high value ball or she wouldn't focus on me) is what I used for initial training.

Buddy is a lovey dog...I started him out on treats, but soon progressed to praise when training.

The only time I use treats is when I'm asking them to do something that hurts or that is somehow VERY difficult for them (or adverse -- not a 'dog' thing to do at all).  LIke nail-cutting.

When I'm at an obedience class I will sucker up and use treats and I HATE IT.  It's a bribe -- and no, I'm not your typical obedience method follower.  I couldn't spell what's-his-name's name if you paid me and I've never SEEN Animal Planet (remember, Callie doesn't watch TV)

Mostly praise, touches (neck, chest), 5 seconds with a toy, etc.  Not a food reward usually.  If I do, it's phased out almost immediately. 

Mostly I train thru the 'bond' with the dog -- I have a major problem just teaching "behaviors" -- I have a behavior too - it's called "doing my job to get a check" -- but it's a mental trade.  I do what the boss wants so I get what *I* want (money to keep home and hearth together).  It's a bribe of sorts but it's an acceptable one.

I tend to expect the same out of my dogs -- whom I believe are sentient, emotional and intelligent beings.  Not trying to argue -- that's just MY way.  

I use treats but also praise, toys, little games the dogs like to play (Coke likes to "dance" and Kenya likes to jump up in my arms)... I don't like limiting rewards to just food.  Coke loves toys and Kenya loves games.

I use games, toys, affection .....for real hard recall cases I will whip out the steak and a whistle......

that is the same kind of situations i use treats in with moca!

i actually rarely use treats with jason too, just cause i train MOST things as management not "tricks", which means it's in different situations throughout the day and i just dont ever remember to bring treats, so i use praise and affection.

with jason however, i am currently working on "watch me" (to help with the DA issues, i am hoping) and i found treats beneficial, because he really goes in "learning mode". he knows i need him to learn something, and he REALLY concentrates! it's so cute, when his brain is working, and he finally gets it! i can SEE it! and he is soooo proud!

but yeah, with moca... no treats! so counter productive! sigh...

and use treats and I HATE IT.  It's a bribe

no it's not. It's a reward. Identical to using praise, toys, love, whatever- dog is good, he gets a reward.  I use whatever the dog wants- I have two dogs who aren't particularly food-motivated and it would be kind of stupid to try to train them with food. One loves toys and the other loves butt-scratches. I have another dog who is really food motivated- it would be kind of stupid to try to train her with toys or butt-scratches cause she could care less.

I TRY to use treats for training Woobie but 95% of the time he won't take them if we're outside the house or in a new situation.  He's just too hyperaware of his surroundings and shuts down.  He's not toy motivated either.  I've sort of figured out that he is dog motivated.     So, for our work on his kid fear, we go to the park, get close to the playground full of kids or work on a sit-stay while kids pet Indie and I use alot of voice praise and then we go over to the dog park to play.  That's his reward really, getting to play with dogs.  At classes, I'd usually find someone who was fine with their dog and Woobie playing a bit at the end of class and that would be his reward also.  I can sometimes get him to take a ball park frank when we're out training, but it's rare and sporadic.  If I could find one thing that motivates him consistently and that he'd work for, training him would be WAY EASIER.  But, it's just his shy nature and I have to find ways to work around it.

Indie would stand on his head and sing you a song for a treat!  He's easy! 

Food motivated training is amazing!  Just check out THIS!   

janetmichel3009

just use praise and affection. she's a sucker for lovin, so it's easy...

I also use praise and affection, Shadow used to thrive on cheers when he would catch the ball or frisbee.   Rocky and Hot Shot get praise and lovin'.   If I think they have been exceptionally good, when we come in of an evening I will ask if they want a special treat and make a big deal about it.  They go straight to the place I keep their treats and they get the "special" treat which is not the everyday dog bisquits.   they do not get one of these every day.   My hubby will give them a weiner as a special treat occasionally if he thinks they have been very good.

Yes, truly amazing!  Whenever I train with food treats I think of the sign "Will work for food".  I actually use food to teach a behaviour but try to fade them out ASAP. 

I use them in some situations but not others.  Most of my training is not treat-based, but there are enough instances that I break them out, that I can gauge the dog's response.

Reward based training isn't all about the food.  It's about finding what motivates your dog but still allows him or her to think.  So toys, petting, and food all fall into the same quadrant where the dog is working to get something he desires.  There's no part of a doggy brain that understands the difference between "bribery" and "If I do X, I'll get Y."  You might say I use the sheep or ducks as a bribe for right behavior.  I don't care as long as I get the results.  It's not like the dog's gonna hold out on me - I'm much more patient than he is.

 We trained with one group who STRONGLY believed NO TREAT FEEDING. Dogs work for praise not food. OK well maybe your dog... I agree with their concept, but no one rule is steadfast. They used treats as another object of training, dogs should ONLY take treats in a certain way from the handler and ONLY on command. Boy would they be surprised to see Belle at agility class now

Maxine we can not train with treats she becomes to obsessed, so for her at the end of the training session she would get her treats.

Cherokee isn't toy-motivated, she's not praise-motivated if she's learning something new or in a place other than my house, and I pet her every time I see her, so that certainly can't be used as a reward in training... so yeah, I ONLY use food rewards in training. I'm basically a treat dispenser, and that's perfectly good with me.